Beside You
by sunnysunday
Summary: Post 'All Fall Down'. Calleigh/Eric


Title:- Beside You

Rating: K+

Spoilers: Post season 8 finale, 'All Fall Down'.

Pairing: Calleigh/Eric

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, things would have been very different this season.

So, this is my first CSI Miami fic, although I've written for several other shows/ships, I'm just finding my feet with Calleigh/Eric, so please bear with me! I've watched this show since the beginning and just adore this couple. So this is just a little vignette to get me started, future efforts will probably be much fluffier, I swear. I was sadly inspired by the slightly lackluster finale and this is what happened.

* * *

The silence was relentless and unnerving. Even the strangers on the street outside seemed to understand the solemnity of the situation, not a raised voice, car radio or angry horn punctuated the perfect silence. Glancing up at the clock one final time, Eric wandered idly over toward the sink and lifted a glass from the drainer, pausing momentarily as his thumb brushed over the remnants of a lipstick stain. Turning the faucet to half fill the glass with water, he attempted to soothe his parched throat and drank down the pleasantly cool liquid, glancing listlessly out at the empty yard.

Releasing a weary sigh, Eric placed the empty glass down and turned to pick up the black tie that rested on the counter behind him. Deftly lifting the collar of his crisp, white shirt, he slid the somber item around his neck and slowly fastened the knot.

It seemed like only yesterday that he had watched them bury Speedle and now here they were, about to say goodbye to another member of their 'family.' Visions of that day still lingered and he knew the expression on Tim's mother's face, as she hugged the flag to her chest and the jolting sound of the gun salute permeated the silence, would haunt him forever. He had often thought about dying in the line of duty; with the dangers that came hand in hand with his job he assumed such thoughts were only natural. But until that day, he had never considered those that were left behind and almost instantly, his greatest fear had not been dying, but living without those he loved.

In mere moments he found himself suddenly walking from the kitchen and arriving at the bedroom door and all at once the familiar and comforting scent he had come to associate only with her, invaded his senses.

His eyes were instantly drawn to her and a soft smile crossed his lips as he watched her fastening the back on her earring before brushing her hands down the sides of the simple black shift dress she was wearing. Although her eyes were tinged with sadness, her skin glowed with a radiance that belied the occasion and Eric found himself once again captivated by her beauty and content to merely stare at her as his presence remained unnoticed.

Calleigh fastened the final hair pin up into the bun at the nape of her neck and suddenly turned to him, her brow furrowed at the expression that had settled on his handsome face, "Hey, are you okay?"

Wordlessly, Eric crossed the room and stood behind her, slowly dragging the zip of her dress up before she could ask for his assistance and depositing a kiss on the soft skin of her neck. She glanced curiously at their reflection as his hands slid around her waist and settled over her stomach and he mumbled a quiet 'sorry' as he pulled her against him and caused her to stumble back against his chest.

Calleigh placed her hand over the top of his and reached back to press her other palm to his cheek, smiling softly at the feel of his lips brushing her proffered skin.

"Eric?" she repeated, realising he had been too caught up in his thoughts to have heard her previous attempt to reach him, "_Eric_? Are you okay?"

Smiling tightly, he squeezed her affectionately and pressed a tender kiss to her temple as he merely nodded in affirmation.

"Are you sure?" she pressed, tracing her fingertips over the back of his hand in a reassuring gesture as she watched his reflection closely. Eric managed a brief smile to alleviate her fears and turned her in his arms, hugging her ever closer as she looped her arms around his neck and peered up at him, concern clouding her pretty face.

"If you need to talk, you know I'm here, right?" she offered, her voice soft and gentle and she widened her eyes to emphasize her point.

"I'm fine, Cal, really," Eric assured her, allowing his eyes to wander the plains of her face, taking in the curve of her cheekbones and the dark fan of her long lashes against her cheek as she gazed up at him.

But he knew he could never tell her his fears, or the dark thoughts that had plagued his dreams each night since he had found her apparently lifeless body in the firing range that day. He didn't want to scare her by admitting that he now lay awake each night, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, terrified by the events of the past few months and haunted by the paralyzing fear that he could lose her. In his dreams, he is saying goodbye, watching helplessly as his best friend, his lover, _his_ Calleigh is lowered into the cold ground.

He knew he could never bring himself to tell her, so he forced a smile and tried to allay her concerns. He loved her too much to do otherwise.

"I love you," she offered, smiling briefly as she tried to capture his attention, realizing where his thoughts must be laying on such a day. It had not been that long ago that she had been the one faced with almost losing him and recent events had served as a painful reminder of the fragility of life.

Eric lifted her gently off her feet, leaving her standing on the tips of her toes as he gazed down at her adoringly and claimed her lips in the sweetest of kisses. Tracing the pad of his thumb over her cheek, he bestowed a final kiss on her forehead, "I love you too." _So very, very much._

Calleigh grinned as he lowered her to her feet once again and she let her head fall against his chest, sighing tiredly as his arms wrapped around her and his hands swept comforting circles against her back. The past few months had been exhausting, both emotionally and physically, with so many changes and upheavals thrown at them. Yet somehow, despite the trials they had faced, he had been her constant, just as she had been his. She felt a pang of guilt at the happiness that she felt in that moment, it seemed wrong given the circumstances, but after all that had happened, she reasoned that it would also be wrong to deny happiness when it was in your grasp.

"I'm glad you're back at CSI," she craned her neck to look up at him as she spoke, "I missed you."

Eric arched an eyebrow and nodded, mulling over the events of the past year and the choices he had made, "Yeah, guess I'm back where I belong."

He watched as she extracted herself from his arms and slid her palms slowly up his chest, biting her lip in evident concentration as she momentarily busied herself with adjusting his tie and then glanced back up into his brown eyes once again.

"The lab wasn't the same without you," she flinched under his gaze and picked at imaginary lint on his black suit jacket.

"No, I meant _beside you_," he bent his head to capture her eyes and slowly mirrored her smile as he ran his hands down her arms and clasped both her hands tightly in his own.

The insistent ticking of the clock on the night stand brought their intimate declarations to an abrupt halt and unwillingly, Eric finally released her hands from his grasp.

Calleigh moved from his embrace and stepped in to her shoes, turning with a whispered 'thanks' as he dutifully helped her slip on her suit jacket.

"We should go," she stated quietly, ever grateful for the reassurance of his touch at the small of her back as they walked out together.

The day ahead would be difficult for them all and saying goodbye to a friend would never be easy. But later on that afternoon, as they assembled with grieving family and friends and the sound of gunfire rang out across the granite and cedar trees, her hand would rest securely in his and they would stand beside each other, as always.

* * *

So, you can pretty much decide for yourself who the fallen CSI is...Jesse or Walter works for me. As long as Calleigh survives, I really don't care.


End file.
